Over the air lanes as well as local newspapers, much have been said and written about the tandem Mark and Mark, or simply M&M. The two Ms refer to gubernatorial aspirant Mark O. Cojuangco, a former three-term 5th District representative of Pangasinan and vice gubernatorial aspirant Mark Roy Q. Macanlalay, a young leader and the incumbent Mayor of Calasiao town.

Short of branding the tandem as the ultimate ideal team in the realm of Pangasinan politics, M&M is a formidable gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial team to reckon with. Theirs is a team that meant real public service. Their political team is an envy to those planning to lead the province of Pangasinan, whether those planning are the incumbents or imagining to have a niche in the province’s political arena.

Why I said so?

Gubernatorial aspirant Mark Cojuangco is both a technocrat and politician. His political life for more than nine years is devoid of controversy- no involvement in any graft and corruption cases. He is more attuned to implementing programs and projects that have long term effects to his constituents like the community multipurpose centers in Sison, Pozorrubio, Alcala, Laoac and Sto. Tomas, corn and palay drying facilities in Alcala and Villasis, farm equipment like tractors, harvesters cum threshers to support and introduce mechanized farming to farmers, etc.

He has initiated the widening of Manila North Road Project and involved himself on the plans of Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, the latest of which is to change the route going to Rosario, La Union if only to spare the farmlands that will be traversed by the original plan in Pozorrubio and Sison. One good thing for Cojuangco is his deep rooted political will. He is unfazed by criticisms hurled against him by his political opponents. His grasp of latest technology like the lidar equipment will be a boost to solve the perennial flooding in Calasiao, Sta. Barbara and Dagupan City.

Cojuangco, as a future governor of Pangasinan, knows how to launch his development agenda. His slogan ” Mas Maunlad na Pangasinan” speaks well of his recognition of the previous leaders the province had. While all leaders have contributed to the development of Pangasinan, much are still to be desired, thus ” for a more progressive Pangasinan” under his future leadership, with the peoples’ mandate.

Mark Roy Macanlalay is an epitome of an idealistic, young and progressive leader. At 32 years of age, he is full of optimism and dreams- dreams that transcend his youth and fervor to serve the Pangasinenses. Mark started his political career as a Councilor of Calasiao. In one interview with him, he intimated that at first he was reluctant to delve himself into public service knowing fully well the hardships and intricacies associated with it since his father was then a mayor of his town Calasiao.

But the call of public service is in his blood. He ran and won as councilor, then vice mayor and lately two terms as mayor of Calasiao. Under his helm, Calasiao became progressive. Investments increased with the booming of industrial and commercial establishments. He made his town a haven for the investors who are not accommodated by Dagupan City. It has been a strategic move for Calasiao under the Macanlalays ( Roy Macanlalay, Mark’s father is the incumbent Vice Mayor) to open the town for more investments like Robinsons Mall and Puregolds in addition to the already established businesses like Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, etc.

With Macanlalay’s expertise in local legislation, this will be an added boost to the M&M’s tandem. Macanlalay knows when to support development agenda of Cojuangco. As former vice mayor, he knows how to work with members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, if there are legislative issues to be debated upon and or needing immediate passage. His young and idealistic stature would be a guarantee that being a vice governor as the head of the province’s legislative body is not subservient to the whims and caprices of the governor.

M&M or Mark and Mark are at present bombarded with tirades from the political camp of their opponents. Issues against them are being concocted to discredit their abilities. Lies are being peddled out against them that sometimes are no longer comfortable to deal with. However, M&M are taking these negative tirades in stride. Instead, they are parrying off issues against them by going out together in consultations with the various sectors in the province. Their Medikalinga sa Pangasinan Program has briskly changed the notions against them. They are now the household names in every Pangasinense home and the much-talked about new leaders to rein the province in 2016.

With the backing of 35 incumbent municipal mayors and three city mayors who are all under the Nationalist Peoples’ Coalition (NPC) and Biskeg na Pangasinan, M&M quest for leading Pangasinan will come into fruition on May 9, 2016. By that time, Pangasinenses quest for a better Pangasinan will then be a reality- leaders with clear direction as to where Pangasinan will be going, leaders with clean slates and no legal issues attached to them, and leaders who could make a difference in the lives of every Pangasinense.